Tailor&#39;s measure



Nov. 4 1924.

H. A. PONTECORVO TAILOR S MEASURE Filed Oct. 26 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Wiimsa:

. mine the so that it may be as readily HECTOR A. PONTECORVO, OF

NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.

TAILORS MEASURE.

Application filed G'ctober 26, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Hncron A. PoNrnoonvo, a subject of the vKing ofItaly, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TailorsMeasures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a tailors level and measure, and has moreparticular reference to a device for establishing a level on the garmentworn by a person, from which to take measurements.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a device of thistype for establishing a level on a person when taking measurements forclothing and determining any irregularities of the figure, which may bereadily accounted for when cutting the pattern for the garment.

Another object of my invention is the pro vision of a device of thistype adapted to be applied to a person to be measured for a garment, andin which a number of parts are adjustable in relation to theconformation of the person being measured to deten height or elevationof the arm pits, and the width of each shoulder, and to mark ahorizontal line across the front and also across the back of the personbeing measured to determine the width of the front and the width of theback from arm pit to arm pit along said horizontal lines, said linesestablishing a base or plane, from a certain point or points of whichmeasurements are taken in different directions of the body according tothe adopted method of drawing patterns for garments.

A. further object of my invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter,

which can be easily folded into a compact space and conveniently carriedabout, and which is also adjustable to different Widths applied topersons of slender build, as well as to stouter persons.

still further obicct is the provision of applied to a a device which isadapted to be person when taking measurements and sup ported from theshoulders, and in which spirit levels are included for establishing alevel from front to rear, and also crosswise.

With these and other objects to appear hereinafter, the inventionconsists in the novel features of construction and in the ar- Serial No.510,568.

rangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and moreparticularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings Fig. l is a perspective view of the complete deviceunfolded.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same folded.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device, showing the manner in which itis placed upon a person.

Fig. 4': is a plan view of the device unfolded.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 3, looking in thedirection of the arrow crossing said line.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 6-6, Fig. 4,looking in the direction of the arrow crossing said line.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section taken on line 77, Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken on line 8 8, Fig. 4.

The device has two side members 9, 10 pivotally connected at their rearends to links 11, 12, which are themselves connected together by shorterlinks 13. 14, are links similar to the links 11, 12, and these arepivotally connected to the front ends of the side members and arethemselves pivotally connected together by shorter links 16. When thedevice is in use, the links 11, 12 extend rearwardly and inwardlyforming a substantially V-shaped rear terminal for the device, while thelinks l l. 15 extend forwardly and inwardly and also form a V-shapedterminal at the front end of the device. The side members 9, 10 and thelinks 11, 12, 14; and 15 may be said to constitute a frame, said sidemembers being at all times retained in the same plane, due to the use ofthe special end connections just described.

Each of the pivots by means of which the side members are connected tothe links 11, 12, lland 15 extend upwardly through the side members 9.10, as shown at 17, and to the upwardly extendin ends of these pivots,short spiral springs 18 are attached, there being two spiral springs ateach side of the frame. Connecting the two spiral springs at each sideof the frame are supporting cords 19, which are adapted to be placedover the shoulder ofthe person. The springs are therefore placed underslight tension and retain the device in any position to which it may beadjusted.

In preferred form, the side members 9, are formed of light weightmetallic tubes, the ends of which are closed by means of plugs 20. Thelinks 11. 12, 14 and 15 are also formed of light weight metallic tubesand have their inner ends closed by means of plugs 21, the pivotsconnecting said links and side members being in the form of screwspassed loosely through the plugs of the links and threaded in to andthrough the plugs of the side members, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

It is to be noted that the side members 9, 10 are curved outwardly attheir front ends, their front extremities, however, being in line orsubstantially in line with the rear straight portions of said sidemembers so that the points of attachment of the front spiral springs arein alinement with the points of attachment of the rear spiral springs,and the supporting cords 19 are therefore parallel. The curving of theside members outwardly, as described, enables the device to beconveniently used on stout women having large bust measurements.

Adjustably secured to each side member are gage arms 22, 23, the frontarm of each side member comprising a sleeve 24 which [its onto thetubular side member and is rotatably adjustable thereon. Each sleeve 24has an upwardly extending socket 25 thereon in which are removably heldup wardly tapering gage members 26, preferably formed of wood, thesleeves 24 being held in the desired position lengthwise on the sidemembers and against rotation thereon by set screws 27. Normally, thefront gage arms 22 are positioned at the points where the sine memberscommence to curve outwardly, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Each of the side members is provided with a longitudinal slot 28, and atany desired points along the range of said slots, the rear gage arms 23are positioned. Each rear gage arm has a saddle-like securing portion 29which partly surrounds a side member, and an upwardly extending socket30 into which an upwardly tapering gage member 31 is removably fitted.The saddle-like securing portion of each rear gage arm is provided witha transverse slot 32, and positioned within each side member is alongitudinally movable fill-er member 33, into which is threaded a thumbscrew 34 which extends through the longitudinal slot 28 of the sidemember and through the transverse slot 32 of the saddle-like securingportion. Upon loosening the thumb screws 34. the gage arm may beadjusted to the desired position lengthwise on the side member, and alsorotatably, if desired.

At the rear end of one of said side members, and if desired, of each ofthem, a spirit level 36 is placed, said spirit level being cylindricaland fitting into the side member,

the spirit level 41,

which has an opening 37 therein through which the spirit level may beread.

When placing the device on a person for taking measurements to fitgarments, the device is unfolded or extended as shown in Figs. 1 and 3,with the gage arms extending upwardly from the side members thereof.When taking measurements, the arms of the person to be measured areplaced over the side members so as to bring the latter into the arm pitsof the person, with the sup porting cords placed over the shoulders andthe springs at opposite ends of said cord drawing said side membersfirmly into the arm pits. The device is then adjusted to position thefront gage members 22 against the front of the shoulders, while the reargage arms 23 are adjusted lengthwise on the side members to bring themdirectly against the rear of the shoulders, as clearly shown in thedrawings. The device so positioned on a person extends rearwardly andalso forwardly a distance, as shown in Fig. 3, and when so positioned,the side members are swung upwardly or downwardly at one or the otherend until they assume a perfectly horizontal position, which can bereadily determined by the spirit level 36, the supporting cords beingslid over the shoulders for the purpose of making this adjustment. Whenproperly positioned, the device will be so retained by the spiralsprings 17 and the arm gages 22, 23.

Associated with the frame and parts directly connected or attachedthereto is a rule or stick 38 having a beveled portion 39 to form whatmay be termed a knife edge 40. ()n this rule or stick a spirit level 41is se cured, and when placed in use is supported transversely on theside members 9, 10, as best. shown in Figs. 1 and 4. By means of thelevel of the device transversely can be easily determined.

The knife edge of the rule or stick is to be chalked in any suitablemanner, tailors chalk preferably being rubbed along said edge to apply acoat of chalk thereto, and for the purpose of establishing a horizontalline across the chest or front of the person, the chalked edge of therule or stick is placed there-against while the rule rests upon theoutwardly curred portions of the SlClt members, the rule or stick beingmoved lengthwise while in contact with the chest or front to transferthe chalk from the edge of said rule or stick to the garment of theperson being marked, at the same time one end after the other of therule or stick is moved rearwardly while moving the same lengthwise so asto establish an extended line across the front of the person beingmarked, from arm pit to arm pit.

As often happens to he the case, the region along the spine of somepersons is slightly depressed and therefore it itfound difficult toapply a chalk line to such portion of a person so formed when wearingclose fitting garments, and for this reason I have pivotally attached tothe under side of the rule or stick a swiveled marker 42, which isformed of sheet metal and has an elongated body portion 43 provided witha depending lip 44 at one end thereof which serves as a handle by meansof which the swiveled marker may be conveniently manipulated. Said bodyportion has its front end tapered, as shown, and it is provided with alongitudinal slot 45 through which is passed a set screw 46 which isthreaded into the rule or stick 38, a washer 47 being interposed betweenthe head of said set screw and the under side of said body portion.

Normally,the elongated body portion is positioned directly underneaththe rule or stick and parallel therewith. When, however, it is desiredto use the same, the set screw 46 is slightly loosened, the tapered endof the swiveled marker provided with chalk, and said marker positionedat an angle to the rule or stick. The rule or stick is then positionedto rest upon the side members in rear of the body, with the front endthereof in contact with the body. The swiveled marker is then movedforwardly into contact with the body at the depressed portion thereof,and being free to swing on the set screw, the pointed end thereof ismoved along the depressed portion of the body so as to properly mark thesame while the rule, previously chalked, may itself be moved along thebody to establish a mark from the depressed portion of the bodyoutwardly toward opposite side members of the device.

lVhen marking a garment at the front and rear, the rule rests upon theside membersof the device, and at such times the level of the rule orstick may indicate a perfectly horizontal position for the same.however, such is not the case, the rule or stick will be elevated at oneend until the true horizontal position of the same is indicated by thelevel thereof, and the exact difference in the height of the low arm pitand the point on the rule or stick directly above the arm pit may beascertained by any suitable means. hen laying out the pattern from whichthe garment is to be cut, due allowance will be made for the differenceso ascertained, and the pattern therefor cut in exact accordance withthe irregularity in the'body of the person measured; or, if desired, thegarment of the person being measured may be marked with the rule orstick while resting with opposite ends against opposite side members ofthe device, and then be marked a second time afterthe rule or stick iselevated to a true horizontal position. One method of drawing a patternmay require that both positions of the rule device itself by placing oneend of no line to be marked on the garment, as the difierence betweenthe two positions of the rule or stick may be ascertained and aftersquaring the pattern, due allowance be made for the irregularity intheform of a person measured. However, in any event, the ir-- regularity inthe shape of the person measuredwill be ascertained by the two positionsof the rule or stick, and the. pattern drawn accordingly. I find it ofconsiderable ad vantage, however, to mark the garment of the personbeing measured while the rule or stick rests upon opposite sidemembers,.and measurements may be taken in variousdirections from theline mark thus made'by using said mark as a base, and when drawing orlaying out the pattern, due allowance may be made in the event that themark thus made is not in a perfectly horizontal plane. lvleasurementsmay be taken from the line or base thus shaped by means of a tapemeasure to determine exact measurements downwardly, upwardly,transversely, and obliquely in any direction, and measurements may alsobe taken from certain points of the the tape measure at certain pointsof thedevice and directing the tape measure from such points to anyother pointer points of the person being measured, depending 011 theparticular system of measurements employed.

F or convenience I fasten to the device at certain points, for example,to one or both sockets 30, one or more'lengths of tape, and these Iemploy for establishing measurements from the socket to the neck orother parts of the body, as indicated in Fig. 5. When employing a singletapefor this purpose, the tape may be provided with graduations denotinginches and fractions thereof, or other units of measurements, and whenemploying more than a single tape, as shown in Fig. 6, these tapes maybe of different colors, one being adapted for/measurement from the pointof attachment to one part of the body, another to a second part,;and soon, each tape being employed for a certain measurement, the colordenoting the exact measurement or line of measurement under the systemof measurements used. These tapes need have no graduation marks thereon, as the exact point to which measurement is taken may be indicated bychalk marks, or otherwise. After. securing the desired measurementsthese tapes may be removed from the device and employedin laying out thepattern of the garment to be out. For purposes of illustration I" l1aveshownthree tapes 47, 48,49, whichare fastened iniplace by a pin 50inserted through alined openings formed in the socket of the gage arm atdiametricallyopposite points thereof, the pin being passed. through thetapes and through the openings in said socket and the projecting endthereof bent, as shown at 51, to prevent accidental withdrawal of thepin.

With my improved invention in use, the pattern for the garment may bedrawn by establishing a base on the pattern paper in conformity with themarks or lines at the front and rear of the person. Any irregularity inthe form of the person may be laid out on the pattern in exactaccordance with the measurements taken; or, if desired, the marks orlines on the body of the person measured may be used to determine thedegree of deviation from a level or horizontal line, and a similar lineemployed on the pattern as a base from which other measurements may betaken, in which case, even though one arm pit of the person measured islower than the other, a perfectly fitting garment will be assured.

For convemence in carrying the device, it may be folded as indicated inFig. 2, in which the links 11, 12 at the rear and the links 14, 15 atthe front are swung inwardly between the side members 9, 10, and ifdesired, the gage members 26, 31 may also be removed from theirreceiving sockets.

' When thus folded, the device occupies very little space and mayconveniently be carried about.

"While the construction shown and described is now considered to'bethoroughly practicable, for the purpose intended, the device may bemodified in various ways without departing from the invention orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A device of thekind described, comprising a frame adapted to surround the body of aperson at the pits, and means for supporting said frame in position onsaid person and for drawing said frame into the armpits to permit oftaking measurements therefrom.

' 2. A device of the kind described, comprising aframe having spacedside members adapted tobe placed underneath the arm pits of a person,and means for sup porting said frame from the shoulders of a person topermit measurements to be taken of the person from difierent points ofsaid frame and to permit a line to be established transversely on thebody from which measurements may be taken.

A device of the kind described, comprising two spaced members adapted tobe applied to opposite sides of a person, one of said members having aspirit level, and a transverse member laid upon said spaced membersandhaving a spirit level, said transverse member receiving support fromsaia two's-paced members.

height of the arm 4:. A device of the kind described, comprising a framehaving two opposite side members connected together at the rear andfront, means for supporting said frame from the shoulders of the personto be measured, and means for determining the: exact horizontal positionof said frame.

5. A device of the kind described, comprising a pair of opposite sidemembers connected at the front and rear and adapted to be placed atopposite sides of the body of a person to be measured, means forsupporting said side members, a gage arm on each of said members, andmeans for determining the horizontal position of said members.

6. A device of the kind described, comprising a pair of side members,links pivotally connected to the ends of said side members and adaptedto swing outwardly and rearwardly therefrom, or inwardly and forwardlytherefrom, a cord secured to opposite ends of each side member, saidcords being adapted to be passed over the shoulders of the person to bemeasured, and means supported by said side members for mark-' ing a lineacross the body of the person to be measured.

7. A device of the kind described, comprising a frame having sidemembers, two pivotally connected links having their outer ends pivotallyconnected to the rear ends of said side members, two pivotally connectedlinks having their outer ends pivotally connected to the front ends ofsaid side members, a cord attached to each side member at opposite endsthereof, and an arm gage adjustable on each side member.

8. A device of the kind described, comprising two side members, linkspivotally connected to the rear ends of said side mem-" bers, shorterlinks pivotally connecting said links together, links pivotallyconnected to the front ends of said side members, shorter linkspivotally connecting said last-mentioned links together, a pair ofrelatively adjustable gage arms on each of said side members, and meansfor supporting said side members from the shoulders of a person to bemeasured.

9. A device of the kind described, comprising side members adjustablyconnected together at the front and rear, an arm gage on each of saidside members, a second arm gage on each of said side members adjustabletoward and from said first-mentioned arm gage thereon, and means forsupporting said side members in position on the body of the person to bemeasured.

10. A device of the kind described, comprising a pair of side membersadjustably' connected together at the front and rear, each side memberhaving a longitudinal slot therein, a filler member within each sidemember, an arm gage on each side member havinga transverse slot therein,and a"- thumbscrew extending through said longitudinal and transverseslots and threaded into said filler member for tightening saidarm gageon said side member in vertical or any angular position.

11. A device of the kind described, comprising a pair of hollow sidemembers, means adjustably connecting said side members together at theirfront and rear ends, each side member having a longitudinal slottherein, a filler member longitudinally adjustable within each sidemember, an arm gage having a saddle-like portion partly surrounding eachside member and an up wardly extending socket on said saddle-likeportion, a gage member removably fitted into said socket, saidsaddle-like member having a transverse slot therein, and a thumb screwextending inwardly through said longitudinal and transverse slots andthreaded into said filler member.

12. A device of the kind described, comprising a frame, a plurality ofdifferently colored removable tapes secured to said frame, each tapebeing employed for determining a certain measurement from a point onsaid frame and being adapted for use when removed in laying out apattern ac cording to measurements taken.

13. A device of the kind described, com prising a frame having two sidemembers, means adjustably connecting said side memhere together at theirfront and rear ends, one of said side members having a spirit level todetermine the level of said side members, and a stick associated withsaid frame and being adapted to rest upon the side members of saidframe, said stick having a spirit level thereon to determine therelative positions of said side members.

141-. A device of the kind described, comprising a frame having twospaced side members, a spirit level for one of said side members todetermine the horizontal position thereof in one direction, a stickassociated with said side members and adapted to rest thereon, saidstick having a spirit level to determine the true horizontal posi tionthereof in a direction at right angles to said side members.

15. in a device of the kind described, a pair of spaced side members,means adjustably connecting said side members together at their frontand rear ends, spiral springs secured to the front and rear ends of saidside member, and a supporting cord connecting the spiral springs of eachside member, said supporting cords being adapted to support said sidemembers from the shoulders of the person to be measured.

16. A device of the kind described, comprising cylindrical side members,means for supporting said side members on a person at opposite sides ofthe body thereof, an

arm gage on each side member, andmeans for adjustably rotating said armgage on said side member.

17. A device of the kind described, comprising a frame havingspaced sidemembers, a stick associated with said frame and adapted to have one edgethereof provided with chalk, said stick being adapted to rest uponopposite side members and be moved with the edge against the person tobe measured so as to transfer the chalk thereof onto the person.

18. A device of the kind described, comprising a frame having spacedside members, means for supporting said side members from the shouldersof a person to be measured, a stick having a knife edge and beingadapted to rest upon said side members, said knife edge being chalkedand being adapted to transfer the chalk thereof onto the body of theperson to establish a line crosswise.

19. A device of the kind described, comprising a frame having two spacedside members adapted to be placed against opposite sides of a person tobe measured, a stick resting on said side members, a marker swiveled onsaid stick and adapted to be positioned transversely of said rule forn'iarking a line on the body of the person being measured.

20. A. device of the kind described, comprising a frame, means to hangsaid frame upon a person to be marked and measured and having two spacedparallel members, a stick at right angles to said spaced parallelmembers and resting thereon, a marker applied to said rule having alongitudinal slot therein, and a pivot eX- tending through said slot topermit said marker to swing thereon, said marker being adapted to have aportion thereof chalked and to transfer the chalk onto the person beingmeasured.

21. A device of the kind described, comprising a pair of hollow sidemembers, plugs closing opposite ends of each side member, a pair ofhollow links at the rear of said side members having plugs closing oneend of each, pivot screws passed through the plugs of said side membersand the plugs of said links and pivotally connecting said links to said.side members, means for pivotally connecting said links together, meansfor supporting said side members from the person to be measured, andmeans for measuring from said side members to distant points on theperson being measured.

22. A device of the kind described, comprising a frame having spacedside members adapted to be placed at opposite sides of the body of aperson to be measured, means for yieldingly supporting said side membersfrom the shoulders of said person, and means for measuring from saidside member to distant points on the person being measured.

23. A device of the kind described, com- 5 prising a frame having spacedside members adapted to be placed at opposite sides of a body of aperson to be measured, means for supporting said side members from theshoulders and drawing the same into the arm pits of said person, andmeans for measuring from certain points of said side member to distantpoints on the person.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HECTOR A. PONTECORVO.

